President Bharrat Jagdeo and other CARICOM leaders arrived in Paramaribo, Suriname yesterday to participate in an intense two days of deliberations on youth development in the Caribbean – their circumstances and measures, to ensure that their future is promising.

The President and a Guyanese delegation, which includes the Minister with responsibility for youth, Dr Frank Anthony, arrived at the Royal Torarica Hotel, from where it is anticipated that they will forward Guyana’s agenda relating to its national youth policy.

This meeting holds historic significance since it would be the first Summit of the Conference of Heads of Government – the highest decision making body of the Community – on youth. It would be the culmination of a three-year probe into their circumstances – a task given to the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD).

The CARICOM Heads of Government had mandated the Commission to conduct a “full scale analysis of the challenges and opportunities for youth in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and to make recommendations on how best to empower them and improve their well-being.”

After three years of concentrated research, the CCYD now has its draft report titled Eye on the Future: Invest in YOUTH NOW for the Community Tomorrow. This Report was presented at the Youth Summit, which encompassed a Regional Youth Forum, a Special Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Youth and Development, and now a Heads of Government Summit on Youth Development.

The report, conducted by former World Bank Economist Jad Chaaban, is accompanied by a cost/benefit analysis, “Costs and Benefits from Investing in Youth in the CARICOM Member States: A Quantitative Assessment of the Youth Development Strategy”.

Chaaban believes that by quantifying the economic impacts of young people’s socio-economic challenges, there could be a correction of the systematic under-investment in youth development programmes in the Caribbean.

The Regional Youth Forum has been supported by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and looked at, among other things, increasing young people’s contribution to the national and regional youth agenda.

Much anticipation surrounds the Heads of Government Summit which is supported by the European Union through the Caribbean Integration Support Programme.

It is set to counter a mind-set that youth are, for the most part, apathetic towards serious issues which affect their daily lives. The CCYD consulted with more than six thousand young people across the Region who articulated their challenges.

In is also anticipated that Heads will hold some discussions on the earthquake which ravaged their sister CARICOM member-state Haiti, and measures that they have begun to take as it relates to assistance.

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, is expected to update colleague heads on intervention made on the grouping’s behalf thus far. (GINA)